A Thief in the Night
by morganchadwell
Summary: Changed up the characters a little bit... Megan (instead of Nora) is forced into a surreal building after a car accident, and after escaping with Patch and Jake, her life will never be the same. Please please R&R! One of my better stories, I promise!
1. Chapter 1

My days were numbered. My chances were slipping away by the second, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. My whole life was in ruins; I tried and tried to put it back together, but when I'm stuck in this God forgiven place, it doesn't make a difference.  
I opened my eyes and recognized that I was in a small cabin. The modern, sleek looking furniture said home, but the heavy steel door hidden around the corner said prison. As I looked around, I spotted four security cameras and immediately frowned. _Why would somebody need those?_ And then the memories started to flood my mind: being thrown out of the car; people shouting my name, but I couldn't identify faces or the sounds of their voices. My breathing was somewhat labored, and dark spots started to surround my vision. Everything was scattered, in pieces that I couldn't put back together. Not now, not ever. I felt strong arms underneath me, picking me up. A few moments passed and I felt a faint kiss on my forehead; it filled me with hope and warmth. That was the last thing I felt physically before I blacked out. Then I woke up here. I might never know what happened between my blackout and waking up. How long had it been? Minutes? Hours? Days? I had no idea. I suddenly remembered my phone. I frantically pulled it out of the pocket of my jeans and checked my messages. One of them was from my boyfriend, Patch. Just thinking his name set off a barrage of butterflies in my stomach.  
_Baby, are you okay? I'm worried sick about you. Please call me and let me know you're still_ _alive. _My heart clenched. The next one was from my mom.  
_Are you okay, Megan? Call me as soon as you can. Your whole family is worried about you.  
_I had a lot of work to do. I started by calling Patch, since he was probably more worried than my mom. He answered on the second ring.  
"Megan?"  
"Yeah, it's me. I'm okay."  
"Do you know how long it's been?" I flinched. Not what I was expecting.  
"No."  
"Two days." His tone was harsher than it needed to be; I could feel it emanating through the phone.  
"I've been out this whole time?"  
"Apparently." There was a few seconds of silence. "Did they hurt you?"  
"Not that I'm aware of." I hurt all over, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "What happened?"  
"Well, we got the police involved and sent out a search party around that same area the accident happened. They've been looking for you ever since. No word on where you were, if you were alive or anything. I was a mess. I still am. I even went out and looked for you myself. Nothing. Not even a trace. So my next question is, where the hell are you?"  
"I have absolutely no idea. And that's the truth." Silence.  
"I will find you, Megan." His tone grew softer.  
"I hope so."  
"I will. I love you."  
"I love you too."  
"If you can, tell me where you are so I know where to look. And call your mother, she's just as worried as I am."  
"Okay."  
"Be safe."  
"I will, Patch."  
"Good. I'll talk to you later."  
"Okay, bye."  
"Bye." I hung up, feeling a new burning desire to find out where the hell I was so that I could get out of here. I stood, suddenly feeling weak. How long had it been since I ate? Noticing this, I saw a little black fridge next to the elegant TV and the dresser below it. There was a chrome and black theme to my room. Was I in a hotel? No. I couldn't be. I opened the fridge, and it was stocked with drinks, snacks and frozen meals specific to my liking. I grabbed a Gatorade and a frozen meal to satisfy myself for now. There was a microwave on another dresser off to the side of my bed. I ripped open the package and started skimming over the directions, quickly shoving it into the microwave and setting the timer. I took a few gulps of Gatorade and started to impatiently pace around the room, memorizing its detailed work and estimating how long I'd be trapped in here. I guessed about a month, maybe less, maybe more. I wanted company; I was lonely. The microwave beeped, announcing that the food was done. I opened it and took it out, wondering if there was a fork or a spoon nearby. I checked the drawers and found a pack of them laying inside a drawer with paper plates and napkins. I scarfed down all the food and threw the tray away. I took a few steps toward the door, scared of what I'd find on the other side. I opened it, amazed at its heaviness. I stepped out into the open and realized I was in one of many hallways connecting to other places I wasn't ready to explore. Around me, there were officers in uniforms, and other people; normal people. They looked calm, and others looked as frantic as I was. I stopped an officer passing by, and asked the question I'd been dreading since I woke up.  
"Excuse me, sir, where am I?" He looked at me, confused for a moment, as if I was expected to know where I was, but then his look turned to understanding.  
"Ah, you're the new one, right?" Shocked by his response, I fumbled for words.  
"Yes."  
"You woke up from a coma this morning, I see? From the accident?" Something unpleasant settled in my stomach.  
"Yes, but how did you know...?"  
"The security cameras, and we watched the accident happen on the side of the road over here." He gestured to the general area the road was, which was past two heavy looking steel doors. "It was terrible. It's a good thing you were saved."  
"Was anyone else saved?"  
"All of them were."  
"Where are they now?" The group consisted of Patch, my best friend Maddie, and his friend Jake. Speaking of, those two sent me texts too...  
"They're home. We sent them home."  
"And kept me here?!" My voice suddenly rose with hysteria.  
"You were in a coma. We weren't about to let them take you back so fast. You had to recover."  
"I don't care! They're my friends!"  
"They'll understand."  
"Then how come my boyfriend can't find this damn place when it's just off the road of the accident?"  
"It's hidden very well." I was amazed that he could stay this calm.  
"That doesn't give me any answers! Why won't you let him find me?" Unexpected tears gathered in my eyes.  
"We will, once your health is back to normal." I stared at him, dumbfounded. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head.  
"How long will I be stuck here?" I asked in a quieter voice.  
"Probably another week or so." I nodded. I started to turn back around, but changed my mind, I had something else to say. "Just so you know, you don't have any authority over me." He looked at me solemnly before answering.  
"Yes, I'm afraid we do."


	2. Chapter 2

I ended up going back to my cabin, crashing on the bed and answering missed texts from Maddie, Jake and my mom. I didn't feel like calling them and explaining everything to them just yet, so I waited it out and decided to take a power nap.  
I woke with a start when I heard knocking on my door. I sat up carefully and then stood, regaining my balance as I walked to the door, unlocking and opening it to see Jake standing there, smiling like an idiot. My mouth dropped open in shock.  
"How the hell did you get in here?"  
"They didn't recognize me from the accident. I told them I was a visitor. I got lucky." I shook my head, gesturing for him to get inside. Once inside, he immediately saw the security cameras.  
"Are you the only one?"  
"Nope. Patch is waiting around the corner on the road up there," I breathed a sigh of relief, "so we'd better get moving."  
"They won't let me out of here for another week. How am I gonna get out?"  
"I'm gonna sneak you out. There's no one outside in the hallway right now. Let's go. Do you have your phone?" I double checked my pockets.  
"Yeah."  
"Okay." Jake went first, peeking around the corner and giving me a signal, so I shut the door behind me and we crossed to the steel double doors. This seems way too easy, I thought. Jake pushed them open, and pulled out his cell phone. I assumed he was calling Patch. "Hey. Yeah, we're coming out of the double doors. Okay." We kept walking until we stood in front of Patch's black Charger. As soon as his eyes landed on me, he opened the door and got out, shut it, and crossed the short distance to pull me into his arms, hugging me tightly with deep sincerity. He let go unwillingly after a few seconds because the danger of getting caught hung in the air all around us. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and got in the front seat with Jake's insisting. I put my seat belt on, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Patch's hand found mine and entwined our fingers together. The whole ride was mostly silent, except for Patch telling me that we were going to my mom's house. Great, I thought, how am I going to explain it all?  
We arrived in an hour, and parked in the driveway. I took a deep breath, opened the car door and shut it. Patch came around to the other side and wrapped an arm around my waist, supporting me. When we walked up to the front door, I felt sick. I swallowed my fear down, and before I could decide whether to knock or not, my mom opened the door, feverishly looking me over.  
"Megan? Are you okay?" I scrambled for words while she pulled me in for a hug. I hugged her back, not realizing how much I missed her.  
"Yes."  
"Come in. Are you hungry or anything?"  
"No, I'm fine." I stepped inside the glossy, warm home, taking in scents and sights. Patch and Jake trailed behind me, and they took seats relatively close to me. I took a deep breath and started to find words that fit to my situation. My mom sat in a chair across from me, patiently waiting. "Do you want me to start with the accident?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, all I remember was falling out of the car, and I rolled on the ground until I hit the end of a hill. I felt someone try to pick me up, or maybe they did, and after that, I blacked out for a couple days. I woke up in something that looked like it could be a hotel room, but it wasn't. There was a steel door where a regular door should be. There was food and everything, and it was all stuff that I liked. I ate and went outside and there were probably hundreds of hallways that led to other cabins. I stopped an officer that passed by and asked him where I was. He asked if I was the new one and I said yes. He knew that I was in the accident, and said that I couldn't leave for another week until I was healthy again. They had kept me there and sent the others home. I went back to my room to take a nap and a couple hours later, Jake found me. There wasn't anyone around, so we snuck out and got to Patch's car without getting caught. But when he looked earlier for me, he said he couldn't find the place."  
"I looked everywhere. Not a trace," Patch added, watching me the whole time. I closed my eyes for a second, not wanting to have to explain it ever again. It in itself was a terrifying enough experience; I didn't need to relive it. I opened my eyes again and looked at my mom's confused expression from across the room.  
"Everything about that sounds wrong."  
"It was," I agreed.  
"No, I mean that your story sounds wrong," she explained. My eyes widened and my defense mechanisms flared.  
"Mom, that is what I saw." Her face was scrunched up now, like she smelled some kind of rotten apple. "You don't believe me, do you?" She shook her head. My first reaction was to get up and leave; one, to let her know how hurt I was, and two, so that I didn't do any further damage. I took a deep breath again, let it out, and decided not to stay. I stood up and started moving towards the front door. I heard my mom get up from her chair.  
"Megan!" Like I had done something unexplainable. I whirled around.  
"You don't believe your own daughter?!"  
"Listen to yourself. You sound delirious." I shook my head, turned back around, opened the front door, and glanced back only at Patch to find him still sitting.  
"Are you coming or not?" He looked at me silently for a few seconds.  
"Here's the keys." He tossed them at me. I caught them and nodded, confirming a final thought, closing the door behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

Still in shock from what just unfolded before my eyes, I drove Patch's car around for about half an hour to clear my mind before returning to my mom's house to get Patch and Jake. I sat in the car for a few minutes and then texted Patch to let him know I was back. In under two minutes, Patch and Jake walked out, Jake shutting the door behind them. Patch saw the confusion on my face, and drug a hand through his hair, knowing he had explaining to do. Once he and Jake got in, he looked at me and took my hand. "She believes your story now. I knew there was something wrong, so I had to stay to try and fix it." He let me have a moment to absorb this. I stared at the dashboard, trying to collect my thoughts. I shook my head again, wondering what possibly could have happened while I had blacked out for 2 days.  
"Wow."  
"I know. It's over now, and you're safe with us. I'm not going to let them touch you ever again." He said this with amazing intensity and assurance. He rubbed my hand with his thumb, and I melted into his comforting gesture. I thought over how Patch would be able to get back to the cabins if I told him that I'd been hurt. I shook my head.  
"What?" Patch watched my facial expression give way to a frown. I was quiet for a minute. I turned to face Jake.  
"Do you think you could find the cabins again?"  
"Yeah, why?" I turned to Patch this time. It took me a few seconds to figure out my wording.  
"I had woken up in between my blackout and when I called you. My head hurt, and I had a few bruises on my arms and legs. I couldn't figure out why, either, until I realized they were the ones that put me in the coma." I could already tell by the look on Patch's face that somebody was going to pay.  
Patch was muttering curses and promises to "rip them to shreds" the whole way there. I tried to calm him somewhat, but there was no putting out the fire that lit up his eyes.  
"Why didn't you tell me when you called me?" he asked patiently.  
"I was so afraid, Patch. You would have been outnumbered."  
"Me and Jake are both stronger than all of them combined, Megan, and you know that." I did. Patch is a Fallen Angel, and even though he's not an Archangel like Jake, he is still one of the strongest Fallen Angels I know. I squeezed his hand. He glanced at me briefly, almost solemnly, before raking the side of the road with his now black eyes.  
"Right here, Patch," Jake intervened. Patch pulled onto the side of the road, where there was a loop of asphalt road combining reality and fantasy. I was sure this whole place was planted to make me go insane; its location was so discreet. Jake got out and started walking towards the building. All of a sudden I felt like crying. I turned to Patch again and watched his emotions battle for control on his face.  
Patch's POV  
They hurt her. That fact wouldn't stop spinning inside my head. Every time I acknowledged it, my anger flared and continued its course for revenge. I was gripping the steering wheel so hard that Megan had to pry them off and hold them in her own. My eyes traveled to her. She is my world; every part of me revolved around her. While we waited for Jake to give an okay signal, I started to mentally and physically prepare myself for what was coming. All my muscles were tensed. My mind was sharp, prying for every detail I needed to use against them. The word tasted bitter even in my thoughts. Megan suddenly looked close to crying. Every emotion I previously had completely dissolved and I pulled her to me. I rubbed her back, doing whatever I could to ease the tension I was sure she had felt wafting from me. Jake made the signal, ensuring it was okay to advance.  
"I gotta go, okay?" She looked up at me.  
"Okay. Be careful."  
"Always." I kissed her softly and got out, shutting the door and locking the car so if something happened they wouldn't be able to get to her. Shoving the keys in my pocket, I walked towards the front doors of this personal hell.


	4. Chapter 4

Megan's POV  
The longer I stayed in the car, the more I worried. I knew they'd be fine, but a little voice nagged at me in the back of my mind. I felt helpless sitting here. I tried to reach Patch's mind, to ask what was going on, but I was too far away for that to happen. I pulled out my cell phone and checked my messages. I had one from Maddie.  
Where are you?  
Sorry, took a small detour to the accident site. Be there in an hour or two at the latest. Don't know how much longer it will take!  
Why?!  
The jerks that took me were the ones that put me in a coma. Just told Patch half an hour ago. Shoulda been there.  
Holy shit. Are you okay?  
Mostly. I have bruises and my head is throbbing, but other than that all's good.  
Geez. What are you doing now?  
Jake and Patch went in to kill all of them. I'm locked in the car with nothing to do :(  
I'm sorry! Maybe I could meet you out there.  
Could you?  
I'll try! Hang in there babes!  
I smiled. She knew how to make my day. Now I really started to worry. An hour had gone by, and I looked up to see a girl running across the street and into the forest up above. I frowned for a minute, trying to figure out where she was coming from, and then it hit me. The cabins. I heard a scream and jumped in my seat. Blue light flashed to my left for a couple seconds and then stopped. I wanted to get out and investigate, but Patch would find out and scold me later. Oh well. It would be worth it if I could help, right? I unlocked my door, shoved my phone in my pocket, locked the door, and shut it behind me. I jogged across the street and up into the forest, using my memory to figure out where the blue light came from. Wherever the blue light was, the girl would be. I found her not a minute later. She hadn't gotten very far before she'd collapsed onto the ground, shaking and whimpering a little.  
"Hey, are you okay?" She jumped at my voice, and her wide eyes found mine.  
"Who are you?!" Her voice was frantic.  
"I'm not here to hurt you, I swear. I was sitting in a black car off the side of the road. I want to help you. What happened a couple minutes ago?"  
"They tased me. I can't move."  
"They what?!"  
"Get me out of here, please. I need to get away from there."  
"Okay. I'm gonna help you up..." I reached for her hand; she cautiously took it, and I hoisted her upright on her feet. I put her arm across my neck, and she tried to maintain her balance. "What's your name?"  
"Samantha."  
"Can I call you Sam?"  
"Yeah." I heard my name being yelled from the car. I froze. Sam looked at me warily. "Who's that?"  
"My boyfriend."  
"Did you run away too?"  
"Not exactly. They went in to get payback for me; I had to stay in the car."  
"Payback for what?"  
"The people from the cabins put me in a coma."  
"Me too!"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah! I got in an accident and I was out for a day. I woke up in a cabin, and they said I couldn't leave."  
"Same here. I was out for two days."  
"Wow. That's bad."  
"Yeah. Looks like we have something in common." I prepared myself for the consequences coming my way. "Patch?" I shouted.  
"Megan?" I heard footsteps getting closer and closer. Patch came into view with Jake behind him.  
"What the hell is going on?" Patch's angered eyes never left mine.  
"I saw them taser her when I was in the car. I had to come help."  
"They could've tased you too, Megan."  
"That's not the point, she..."  
"You were in danger without me knowing it." He walked up to me, sighing, and put his hands on either side of my face. "Your safety is my top priority. Those assholes in there deserved everything we gave them. If anything as small as that happened to you, I would take complete responsibility because I wasn't there to protect you. Do you understand that?" My eyes watered.  
"Yeah," I whispered. He watched me for a couple more seconds.  
"What's her name?"  
"Sam," I replied. He turned towards her.  
"Can you walk, Sam?"  
"A little, yeah." She looked as scared as I felt.  
"I'll have Jake carry you to the car, and we'll take you home."  
"Thank you."  
"No problem." Jake took her from me and draped her arm across his neck. Patch turned his head back to me and I instantly knew he was going to plead with me. "Megan... I can't put into words how much you mean to me." His thumbs caressed my face; tears brimmed, ready to slip at any moment. I tried to hold them back. "I already feel horrible enough for not being there to stop the pain they put you through. Could you imagine how much more horrible I would feel if they added onto that pain? I would never forgive myself. I need to be overprotective of you sometimes, and I know you don't like it. I'm drawing the line right here and right now. You're not leaving my sight ever again." His words overwhelmed me, and I leaned into him, letting the sobs render me useless. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, and we stayed like that for a while before he pulled away and wiped the remaining tears off my face. He kissed my forehead softly. "Are you ready to go?"  
"Yeah." My voice sounded infinitely weaker.  
"Okay." He wrapped an arm around my waist and lead me to the car. I still felt weak as I got into the car, Patch let go of me and got in the drivers side. Jake and Sam were in the back, and I was in the passenger seat. Patch asked Sam where she lived, and she told him. I was pretty quiet the whole time. I thought through everything I had done in the past day. Did I need to rethink anything? My actions? I only wanted to help Sam. If I had known there were actual people that could harm me, I wouldn't have gone yet. But there was no one in sight chasing after her. Where did the blue light come from, exactly? The facility itself? I wasn't sure. It seemed like it just appeared all on its own. My thoughts were interrupted as we stopped and Sam turned to me.  
"Thanks for coming to help me. I really appreciate it."  
"You're welcome, I hope things get better for you."  
"I hope so too. Thanks, guys!" They almost simultaneously accepted her thanks. She hugged me and left. I took a deep breath and let it out.  
"Megan?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Are you okay?" I didn't feel like offering any explanation as to why I wasn't really okay. I felt guilty. I always feel guilty after stuff like this happens.  
"I'll explain later."  
"Okay."  
The rest of the drive was quiet, except for a couple comments from Jake about how innocent Sam was and hoped everything worked out for her. Once we got to Jake's house, we dropped him off and Patch thanked him for his help.  
"No problem. If you need any more help, call me." Patch nodded and Jake shut the door. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back into the headrest. Patch didn't move the car for a minute, nor say anything. After a minute, he spoke up.  
"I know why you're upset... I just couldn't let it slide earlier. I wouldn't have been able to watch you go through so much pain, all in one day like that. Honestly, I don't know what you were thinking going after Sam the way you did. Don't look at me like that, they could have easily thought you were a runaway too and done the same thing to you that they did to her."  
"It didn't happen, Patch."  
"I know; I'm glad it didn't. All I'm asking is to think before you make a decision like that."  
"Fine." He was quiet for a minute.  
"Show me your bruises." I pulled up my sweatshirt sleeves, exposing the now light green circles on my skin.  
Patch's POV  
A fresh wave of anger rushed through me when I saw them. I gently examined her bruises. I was afraid to touch them at all in case they did hurt, and because of that I didn't look at them very long.  
Megan's POV  
Patch shook his head in disbelief and I pulled my sleeves down. He put the car in reverse and started backing out of Jake's driveway. It was quiet for a while, and once we got moving his hand returned to hold mine. "I love you."  
"I love you too." I smiled at him. We got home sooner than I thought, maybe because I was physically and mentally drained. I wanted to curl up with a blanket and sleep. Patch saw that too. When he got out, he came to my side and opened the door. I unbuckled and he picked me up as gently as he could, shut the door, and carried me to the front of the house. He unlocked the door, shoved it open and walked to the bedroom. He set me down on the bed and I got under the covers. He kissed my forehead and left me to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up and noticed that it must've been late evening. I stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I checked the time on my phone and figured out I had slept a solid 3 hours. Damn. I sat up and peeled off the covers, shoving off the bed. After regaining my balance, I groggily made my way to the bedroom door, opening it and padding down the hallway. The house seemed quiet; a little too quiet.  
"Patch?" No answer. I kept going until I got to the kitchen/living room, but I didn't see him anywhere. I hunted for a note. There it was with his keys, in plain sight, on the kitchen counter. I picked it up and started to read his elegant script.  
Megan,  
I'm sorry to leave you alone at the house so late, but Jake called and said he got a lead on something related to the accident. It may have been planned. It could be a while before I'm back. Jake picked me up in his car, I left mine and my keys next to you. If you need anything at all, call me. Otherwise, my car is yours while I'm out. I love you...  
Patch  
The first thing I wanted to do was get in the car and go; anywhere, at this rate. I was starting to get hungry, and I wasn't sure what I wanted or what was even in the fridge. If I didn't find anything, I would go grab some food. I started rummaging through the fridge, trying to think of clever things I could make myself. I was stuck between breakfast food and comfort food. I thought for a while and then it hit me - spaghetti. I decided to take the easy way out and text Patch to see if we had all the stuff for it.  
Do we have all the ingredients for spaghetti?  
I believe so... Why?  
Comfort food!  
Ahh, I see. Did you get my note?  
I did! It was lovely ;)  
Good! I'm glad you think so. Know how to make spaghetti?  
Yes!  
Well, if all else fails, go find a restaurant that sells it  
Will do! Wish me luck  
Break a leg! Love you  
Love you too!  
With that, I pulled out the noodles, tomato sauce, and a pot to make it in. I started with the water and set it to boil. In the middle of it, I heard a knock on the door and I jumped five feet in the air. I almost dropped the sauce on the ground. Shaking, I set it down on the counter and silently tiptoed to the door and looked through the peephole to see who it was. It was the officer I'd talked to the day I woke up from the coma. My heart leapt to my throat. I took a couple steps back and whipped out my phone. I immediately texted Patch.  
One of the officers I talked to from the cabins is here, please come as fast as you can  
I'm on my way now with Jake, lock all the doors until I get there  
Ok  
I checked to make sure all doors were locked. Within 10 minutes, I heard Patch's voice outside the main door. I had checked on the spaghetti every minute to make sure it didn't burn or overcook. Once it was all prepared, I set it aside and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Twenty minutes had passed; I opened the blinds to see what was going on. Patch looked awfully close to beating the officer to death. It was almost pitch dark outside, but the porch light was the only one that remained on. Judging by the look on the officer's face, he wasn't going to back down until he had me. I started to panic. I remembered Patch's car; it was sitting out in the driveway, close to where they were standing. If I could make a break for Patch's car and lure the officer inside, I'd be golden. I pulled out my phone and texted Jake, to not make it so obvious. The officer knew I was in here, no doubt.  
Lure the officer into the house, I'm gonna get in Patch's car and run for it

Instead of texting back, Jake nodded in my direction, seeing I was still poking my head through the blinds. I nodded back and closed them, grabbing the keys off the counter and headed for the back door. I tried to be as quiet as I could, hoping the officer in particular wouldn't hear me. After I closed the door, I snuck around the side of the house closest to Patch's car, and stayed plastered to the corner, daring not to peek around the other side. I listened to their heated conversation.  
"I can't let that happen," the officer continued.  
"Why not?" Patch asked.  
"We have high standards for her. She was the only one in the entire building that was worth anything."  
"That doesn't surprise me," Patch added with a scoff.  
"Let's take this inside," Jake suggested. I saw Patch exchange a look with Jake. I heard the door unlock and started to slowly creep to the car, watching my steps so that I didn't make any noise. After the door was shut, I made a break for it. I unlocked and opened the car, getting in and shutting it. I started it, knowing they must've heard me and had to be coming any second now. I hastily put my seatbelt on before backing it out quickly and taking off just as the officer came running out the door, with Jake and Patch trailing him. I didn't look back, focusing on the road and trying to calm my sudden exhilaration. The thrill of it was exciting but terrifying. What if I got caught? What if there were reinforcements down the road? I didn't think about that one. I kept driving until I got into town, and called Maddie to see if I could stay there, hidden, for a while.  
"Hey," she answered groggily.  
"Hey, sorry to wake you, but could I come to your house for an hour or two? It's urgent; I'll explain when I get there." My voice sounded panicked.  
"Um, yeah, just give me a couple minutes. How long until you show up?"  
"5 minutes."  
"Perfect. See you then."  
"Okay, bye."  
"Bye." By now I was starving, and I hadn't taken any money with me. I sighed. I made it to Maddie's in 5 minutes as promised, parked the car, turned it off, opened the door and got out, wanting to get inside as soon as possible. I opened the front door and let myself in. Maddie rounded the corner within a couple seconds.  
"Hey."  
"Hey." I took off my shoes and immediately went for the fridge to grab something to tide me over. "So, what happened?"  
"I woke up from a nap about an hour ago, and Patch was gone with Jake to figure out a lead he got on the accident, so I was all alone. Long story short, I made spaghetti that I didn't get the chance to eat, and I have an officer trying to take me back to the cabins, so I snuck out of the house with Patch's keys and hightailed it out of there."  
"Holy crap. Where are they now?"  
"I would think the officer is after me, Patch and Jake are probably going to come find me in Jake's car, so everybody's looking for me. I'm gonna text Patch and tell him where I am, since he's probably the one driving," I explained.  
"Good idea." I wanted Patch to know I was safe, and for him to see me safe.  
I'm at Maddie's. What's going on?  
I figured you'd be there. We'll be there in a few. Are you okay?  
Yeah, I'm fine, just scared.  
I'm sorry babe, I am too. I don't want them to take you away from me  
Me either :(  
"Megan, are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
"You sure? You look scared."  
"I am," I admitted. Within a few minutes, I heard Jake's car pull up in the driveway. Relieved, I walked eagerly to the window, opened the blinds, and my mouth dropped open in horror. Less than 1 minute later, I was hiding in the darkest corner of Maddie's closet. I was shaking so hard, I could've been mistaken for shivering. I heard the doorbell ring, and I prayed the officer wouldn't find me before Patch and Jake really got here. I covered my mouth to keep from whimpering.  
"What the hell do you want?" I prayed that Maddie keep her cool and not let her face show any information.  
"I'm looking for Megan; I know she's here. I'm going to have a look around."  
"Go fuck yourself."  
"Don't make me force my way in." Maddie's threats weren't working. I heard the door open and a sickening punch was thrown, making the officer grunt in response. Tears gathered in my eyes, knowing that my best friend's life was at stake. He could have a gun, or a taser for that matter. That scared me even more. I was too weak to stand, but if I could, I would go beat the officer until he was unconscious. I heard another car pull up into the driveway. I prayed that it was Patch and Jake. Car doors opened and shut all in the same second. I heard footsteps and muffled voices; saw blurry faces, and worst of all, blackness.  
I woke up in a cold sweat. It took me a second to come to my senses, and when I did, I frantically sat up, recognizing that I was in Maddie's bed, in her room alone. I heard three familiar voices out in the living room, making me sigh in relief.  
"Patch?" I called out. All of the talking ceased. My voice sounded timid and weak; I almost broke down in tears right then. I felt so small and I was so hungry and scared. I had no idea what had happened. Eager footsteps came closer and closer until they stopped next to the doorframe. Patch leaned against it, crossing his arms and letting a breath out of his nose when he saw me. His face was like stone, it was hard to tell how he was feeling, although I could probably guess. He watched me from across the room in the darkness for a minute before slowly making his way to the head of the bed. I reached out to touch him, to make sure he wasn't dead or I wasn't dead. Our gazes lingered on each other's faces before saying anything at all.  
"I thought I lost you," he finally whispered. "I thought he had you, I..." I tossed the covers off me, stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist, squishing me to his tense body. I trembled as tears started a course down my cheeks, and the more I thought about what could have happened, the harder I sobbed. He buried his face into my neck, letting out a troubled sigh, and rocked me side to side to try and calm me. I must've sobbed for a while, because he pulled his head back to see my distraught face. His brows creased, and he brought a hand up to wipe a few oncoming tears off, and a stray hair that fell out from behind my ear.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yeah." He leaned in to plant a light kiss on my lips. It didn't turn out that way, though. Our mouths molded to each other's, and soon it became a heated kiss. He moaned quietly, and I smiled, thinking about how much of a trap this was becoming. I pulled back unwillingly, and started to move around him, trying to tug him unsuccessfully towards the door. He grabbed me and tugged me back to him, locking me in his embrace. I giggled and he leaned in to kiss me once more. My hunger started to get to me. I had to speak up now or we wouldn't be able to stop. "Patch." On cue, my stomach rumbled. I looked towards the bedroom door. "Right. Let's go." He pulled me out of the bedroom, and into the living room where Jake and Maddie were still talking. They both looked up and Maddie smiled.  
"How're you feeling?" Maddie asked me.  
"Much better," I smiled, and then frowned. "Wait, what happened while I was out?"  
"Patch will explain it to you," Jake smiled.  
"Jake will explain it to you," Patch smirked.  
"Damnit," Jake laughed. I grabbed my shoes and started to put them on.  
"Why don't you explain it to her on the way there?" Maddie suggested. "Where are you going, anyways?" I looked at Patch.  
"Taco Bell?" Patch nodded. "Any requests?"  
"Yes please, the usual."  
"Okay, we'll be back." Patch opened the door for me and followed behind. I got into the passenger's seat, buckled and leaned back, taking a huge breath in and letting it out. Patch got in and buckled, starting the car, shifting gears and backing out the driveway. He took my hand in his and rubbed the top of it. He took a deep breath too and let it out.  
"When me and Jake got there, Maddie was trying to keep the officer from going and searching for you. I grabbed him around the neck and held on until he promised to go tell his men to leave you alone, otherwise I'd knock him unconscious right there." His jaw clenched, and he squeezed my hand for comfort. I watched him the whole time. "It was such a fight. I had to restrain myself more than I should have."  
"What did he end up doing?"  
"I thought it was a fair deal I offered him, but he wouldn't give up, so I knocked him out. I told Jake to take him anywhere, just to get him away from me. Maddie told me where you were and that you were shaking because you were so scared. I felt absolutely horrible. I went into her bedroom and found you curled up on the floor in her closet, hardly moving at all. I said your name and you didn't respond to me. I picked you up and laid you down on Maddie's bed and stayed with you for half an hour. Jake came back by then and told me to let you come back on your own. I almost had to force myself to leave. Maddie caught us up on what had happened between when you got there and when we came. About half an hour later you called me from the bedroom, and I swear time stopped." I looked up, and we were at Taco Bell already. Patch looked at me solemnly for a moment and almost absentmindedly put the car in park, pulled a twenty out of his wallet and handed it to me. "Keep the change."  
"Okay."  
"And please be careful." I turned back around to see his serious face. I leaned across the console and kissed him.  
"I will. If I'm not back in 10, something happened."  
"Okay." I got out and shut the door behind me. I started towards the main door and my stomach grumbled.


	6. Chapter 6

I was so tired. By the time I ordered me and Maddie's food and got our drinks and stood to wait patiently, I felt like I hit a brick wall. I tried to wrap my brain around Patch's words and his overall feelings for me. It showed that he would go through anything to protect me. My thoughts were interrupted as my number was called. I went up to take the food, smiled, said thank you, and walked out the door. I got to the passenger side and strategically opened it, getting in and putting the drinks in the cup holders. I closed the door and immediately unwrapped the first taco, devouring it in 30 seconds. Patch snickered and I shot him a look.  
"What?"  
"Are you making fun of me?"  
"No, not at all!" He put his hands up.  
"Liar."  
"Whatever." He smiled and started to rub my knee. We made small conversation on the way back and I finished all but one taco before we got there. "You must've been really hungry," Patch commented.  
"No shit," I laughed, grabbing the drinks while Patch grabbed the bag of food from me. We both got out and walked to the front door. He held it open and locked the car. I stepped inside and handed Maddie her food and drink.  
"Thank you so much!"  
"You're welcome!" Patch came over to sit with me while I devoured the last taco and threw the garbage away. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. I leaned into him and closed my eyes.  
"So, what's the plan?" Jake wondered.  
"Not sure there is one," Patch replied. "I think we should go home soon, though. She's tired." He kissed my temple and I nodded in agreement.  
"I'm tired too," Maddie yawned.  
"I think I'll go too," Jake also agreed. He stood up and took his keys off the table. "If anything comes up, call me."  
"Will do," Patch assured him. Jake left and Maddie bid both of us goodnight. I thanked her for sticking up for me. Patch picked me up, carried me out the door and set me in the passenger seat. He lightly kissed me, shutting the door afterwards. He opened the door, but he didn't get in yet. I opened my eyes slowly and turned to look at him. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, the way he does when he's upset or mad at himself.  
"Patch?"  
"Hmm?"  
"It's not your fault. You did everything you could." He started pacing the length of the car, with his hands linked behind his head. I sighed, opened the door, got out, walked over to him and took his face in my hands. "You had absolutely no way to know what was going to happen. You are the only person that's ever seriously been committed to my safety and you're doing a pretty damn good job. Just don't beat yourself up over this; you'll make me feel bad too. Let's go home and sleep, okay?" I was amazed at how much sense I had for it being midnight. He kind of smiled and leaned in to kiss me, wrapping his arms around my waist again and pulling me close. After a couple minutes, I pulled away, but not without one last kiss. I snuck out of his grasp, ran for the driver's side and got in, snickering. I turned the car on, seeing that the keys were there. "Can I drive?" I pleaded, smiling and batting my eyes.  
"No, you're sleep-deprived."  
"Awww. If I kiss you again will it change your mind?"  
"Maybe, maybe not."  
"Let's test that theory," I challenged. He ducked under the roof of the car and kissed me once more, making heat run through my veins. We had to break apart for air, and I finalized my decision. "Yep, I get to drive." I was about to put the car in drive when I heard something distinct from far off. I froze and turned to look past Patch. He frowned and turned his head, too. "Did you hear that?" I asked.  
"No, what was it?"  
"I couldn't make it out, but it was a ways off that direction. Maybe it'll come again." I listened for another minute, but nothing sounded. Red flags were popping up in my head. Suddenly, a voice spoke to my mind.  
Megan, I'm not going to hurt you. Follow my directions and you'll be okay.  
Bullshit. That's a lie and you know it.  
Honestly, I'm trying to help you.  
"Megan?" I realized I spaced out for a second; that happens when I talk to people in my mind. I opened my mouth, but struggled for words. Do I tell him or not? I really didn't want to put any more pressure on him, but this was a red flag and at the same time I refused to disobey it. I could feel my eyes widening in fear.  
"Somebody's talking to me in my mind." He sighed.  
"What are they saying?"  
"They said that they're not going to hurt me, but to follow their directions and I'll be okay."  
"Damnit. Tell them to leave you alone."  
Who are you?  
You don't need to know.  
Hell I do. What the fuck do you want from me?  
They just want to take you in for a couple days at the cabins, and then you'll be able to see your friends again.  
Who's they?  
The people that took you in after the accident.  
They didn't "take me in." They hurt me.  
They won't stop until they take you.  
"Fucking great," I sighed, dropping my head onto the steering wheel.  
"Are they threatening you?" His eyes blazed black again.  
"Not exactly. They said that the people at the cabins want me for two days and then I'll be able to see my friends again." Patch was silent for a moment.  
"Alright, here's what I'm going to do. I'm gonna drop you off at Jake's, and I want you to try to sleep. I'm gonna hunt around for this person. Don't look at me like that, I can take care of myself, and I'll take you home whenever I get back." I was stumbling for words to plead with him. I couldn't come up with anything, so I did the only thing I could.  
"Just be careful."  
"I will."  
"Promise me, Patch," I insisted.  
"I swear on my grave."  
"That doesn't count, you're immortal."  
"I swear on Jake's grave." I looked at him. "I swear on your grave."  
"Oooooooo."  
"Believe me now?"  
"Yes." I crawled over the console into the passenger seat and buckled. Patch got in he driver's side and we drove to Jake's house. When we got there, Patch killed the engine, turning to me.  
"Go inside and get some sleep; I'll talk to Jake and explain what's going on."  
"Okay." We both got out and shut our doors, walking up to the front door.  
"Do you wanna do the honors?"  
"Sure." I knocked a few times, and Jake opened it almost immediately.  
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, a frown on his face, his eyes switching between me and Patch.  
"Could she stay here for a while and sleep while I go investigate?"  
"Absolutely. You know where everything is, Meg." I turned to kiss Patch one last time before stepping in while Jake ruffled my hair playfully and stepped out to talk to Patch. I made my way to the guest room, but slowly backtracked to the closed front door, putting my ear up to it and listening to their conversation without making a sound.  
"...yeah, she looked exhausted. How is she doing after all this?"  
"She's really scared, Jake. I try everything I can to make it stop, but it just keeps coming and I don't know what to do."  
"I'm sorry, man. I wish I could help out a little more, but I get where you're going with this. When you do think you'll be back?"  
"Not for a while. I'll spend a few hours."  
"Alright. Good luck."  
"Thanks." I hurriedly creeped back to the guest room, and by the time I shut the bedroom door, Jake had opened the front door. I collapsed on the bed, and I fell asleep within minutes even though my thoughts were going everywhere.  
I sat up and screamed. I immediately heard footsteps coming towards the guest room. Jake knocked on the door.  
"Meg? Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, just a bad dream."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah." He sighed in relief.  
"Okay, do you need anything?"  
"Not right now, but thank you. How long did I sleep?"  
"A few hours. Patch should be back anytime soon."  
"Yay!" Jake laughed.  
"Trying to get away from me?"  
"No, never!"  
"Good."  
After a few minutes had passed, I heard the rumble of an engine, and I knew it had to be Patch. I stood and walked to the bedroom door, hesitating before opening it. I checked my phone; it was 3:00 in the morning. I heard the front door open in a matter of seconds.  
"Hey." Patch sounded exhausted.  
"Hey! Did you catch anybody?" Patch scoffed.  
"No, I thought I had a lead on someone, but it turned out to be a total crapshoot. How's Megan?"  
"She woke up not too long ago from a nightmare; she screamed and I thought someone had snuck in and grabbed her. Good thing it wasn't. She slept for a few hours, so that was a plus."  
"Did she tell you what the nightmare was about?"  
"No, and I didn't ask her either." Jake sounded a little guilty.  
"That's fine, I can ask her." I timed my appearance well; I came out a few seconds after they had finished talking. Patch's eyes found mine as quickly as I did. He looked exhausted, too.  
"Hey," I smiled.  
"Hey, how are you?" He pulled me in for a tight hug.  
"Still mentally exhausted, but I feel better."  
"Good. You ready to go home?"  
"Yeah." We both thanked Jake and walked out the door, Patch walking in front of me almost protectively. I got in the passenger side; Patch in the driver's side. He took my hand and looked at me sadly, like he was going to bear bad news. His thumb moved in circles on the top of my hand.  
"I couldn't get a lead on anything. I searched everywhere I could think of." As he said this, his face showed nothing but major frustration. He shook his head. The news I already knew floated past my ears. I was waited for something else, but realized he was waiting for a reply.  
"That's horrible. I guess you didn't have any specific information, huh?"  
"Yeah. That must've been it."  
"You look exhausted."  
"I am. Let's go home." He gave me a small smile and leaned over to kiss me. "I missed you."  
"I missed you too."  
"Jake told me you had a nightmare. What was it about?" I was quiet for a minute, recollecting what had made me wake up screaming like I did. I focused my eyes on the dashboard.  
"I was stuck in a room, tied down. There was someone pacing back and forth outside the room, but I could only see a black figure. I tried to get up several times, but I couldn't. After a few minutes, the figure stopped in the middle of the doorway and just stood there, watching me. I was finally able to sit up, and when I did, I sat up and screamed outside of the nightmare. It was so realistic, too."  
"I'm sorry, Angel. I wish I could've been there."  
"It's okay. At least it didn't happen, right?" Little did I know that I was going to eat my own words.  
We made it home okay, but when I got out of the car, I felt it again. That nagging red flag in the back of my mind moved to the front. I quickly scanned the area around me, but again came up short. There was nothing but the blackness of the night. I groaned in frustration, and Patch came to my side, wrapping an arm around my waist.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Somebody's screwing with me." Still, my eyes stayed on the space in front of me. Patch's eyes peeled the area, too, and saw the same agonizing look of worry and defeat flashing across his face. I almost wished I was dead; I just wanted it all to stop. He looked at me to see my confused expression and led me to the front door, unlocking it, stepping inside, and setting the keys down on the counter. He backtracked to stand in front of me and wrapped both his arms around my waist, pulling me as close as he could, and buried his head into my neck again. I let the gesture say it all: he wanted it to stop, too. We stayed like that for a long time; when he pulled back, I heard another noise from the back side of the house. My head automatically moved towards the sound, and Patch followed my gaze.  
"What is it?" I decided to not turn it into another event, so I left it alone.  
"Just a noise."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah." I looked back to him. It was silent for a few seconds.  
"Stay here, I'll be right back."  
"Okay." He walked towards the back door while I laid down on the couch, closing my eyes to see today's earlier events replaying inside my head. I heard the back door open and close. The house was silent except for the ringing in my ears. A couple minutes later, the door opened and closed again. Patch walked into the living room and stopped when he saw me. He gave a small smile and came over to pick me up. He carried me to the bedroom and lay me down on the soft, comfortable bed. "Find anything?"  
"Nope. Nothing."  
"Huh. That's weird." I knew he wouldn't find anything unless I went out there, but we both knew that wasn't an option.  
"Try to sleep, okay? I'll stay right here."  
"Okay." He went around the bed to lay down next to me, and pulled me to his side. I fell asleep with his arms wrapped around me protectively.


End file.
